Summer Drought: How to Keep Your Lawns and Grounds Alive

Summer Drought: Keeping Your Lawns and Grounds Alive

With prolonged dry spells and hosepipe bans becoming more common, keeping lawns and grounds looking good through a summer drought is a real challenge. Here's our advice for protecting your grass when the rain won't come.

Don't panic — grass is tough

Most UK lawns are made up of hardy grasses that can survive long dry periods by going dormant and turning brown. Brown grass isn't dead grass — it will recover when the rain returns. Resist the urge to over-water; a lawn can survive weeks without water and bounce back quickly once conditions improve.

If you do water

• Water deeply and less often — a good soak once a week is far better than a light daily sprinkle, as it encourages deeper root growth
• Water early or late — early morning or evening reduces evaporation
• Prioritise new lawns — newly laid turf or seeded areas do need regular watering to establish
• Follow restrictions — always check and follow any hosepipe bans in your area

Mowing in a drought

• Raise the mower height — longer grass shades the soil and retains moisture, so set your blades higher during dry spells
• Mow less frequently — and avoid cutting more than a third of the grass height in one go
• Leave the clippings — they act as a light mulch and help lock in moisture

Longer-term resilience

• Aerate compacted lawns in autumn to help water reach the roots
• Top-dress and overseed with drought-tolerant grass varieties
• Reduce foot traffic on parched, stressed grass to avoid permanent damage

Commercial grounds

For commercial sites, schools and estates, a drought plan pays off. We help our grounds maintenance clients build resilience through the right mowing regime, aeration and seasonal treatments — so your grounds cope better when the next dry spell hits.

Need help keeping your grounds in shape through the summer? Get in touch for a free assessment.